Over 86% of Moroccan beaches meet water hygiene standards, report

More than 86% of swimming waters in Moroccan beaches meet hygiene standards, against 72% last year, says the national report of water quality control released this week.

The report makes conclusions on the basis of samples taken from some 412 sampling locations on 79 beaches between easternmost Saidia and southern Dakhla. These divide into three main zones: 120 beaches from Saidia to Tangiers (Mediterranean zone), 238 from Tangiers to Essaouira (north Atlantic) and 54 from Agadir to Dakhla (south Atlantic).

Morocco's departments in charge of environment and of equipment and transport made the assessment, part of a clean beaches campaign, according to directives of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Environment Program.

The survey also found that 42 sampling locations are not fit for swimming, which makes 13.4% of surveyed locations against 27.72% last year.

The organizers of the campaign, who ambition to reach 100% quality waters at the national level, called involved parties to join efforts to achieve it.

According to organizers, this annual campaign has a particular importance as Morocco is set to launch this year the European "Blue Pavilion" Label.

Blue Pavilion is an ecological quality label attributed by the International Federation of Environment Education, a NGO represented in Morocco since July 2002 by the Mohammed VI Foundation for Environment Protection.